PHOENIX, AZ – The stage is set, as the Dallas Wings start their 2018 campaign on the road against the Phoenix Mercury. Tonight’s matchup marks as the second-straight season the Wings and Mercury meet in the WNBA season opener. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised on NBA TV and Fox Sports Arizona.
AGAINST THE MERCURY
Tonight’s matchup is the 57th meeting between the two teams. Overall, the Mercury own the series, 37-19. Last season the Wings went 1-2 against the Mercury, picking up their win on the road when they opened in Phoenix their 2017 campaign in Talking Stick Arena. Kaela Davis led the way as a rookie scoring 20 points, to become the first rookie in franchise history to lead the franchise in a season opener with 20+ points.
PRESEASON
The Dallas Wings rounded out preseason action this past Sunday, defeating the Las Vegas Aces 66-58. With the win, the team ended preseason action with a 2-1 record. In their final preseason match of the year, the Wings defense stopped 14 shots, the most recorded in preseason action. They also grabbed 38 boards on the opposite side of the court, to board up 40+ rebounds in the game.
THE STAGE IS SET
The Wings solidified their 2018 roster two days prior to the season starting. The roster features 10 returning players, including All-Star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, along with veterans Glory Johnson, Karima Christmas-Kelly, and Theresa Plaisance. Fellow returners, Aerial Powers and Kayla Thornton also join the roster. Four members of last year’s rookie class will begin their sophomore season, led by 2017 Rookie of the Year Allisha Gray and 2017 All-Rookie Team member Kaela Davis, as well as Saniya Chong and Breanna Lewis. Rounding out this year’s squad is international sensation, 6-foot-8 center Liz Cambage, and the Wings overall sixth pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft Azurá Stevens.
WELCOME BACK LIZ CAMBAGE
On February 26, 2018, Liz Cambage, one of the top centers in international women’s basketball named Dallas her new home, after signing a multi-year contract with the Wings. Cambage returns after playing in the WNBA with the then Tulsa Shock for two seasons (2011 & 2013). In Tulsa, Cambage registered record breaking numbers with an overall career average of 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game… She also shot over 50 percent from the field and over 75% behind the free throw line. This past WNBL season, the 26-year-old Cambage finished as the top scorer in the league while playing for her hometown Deakin Melbourne Boomers. She averaged 23.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while leading the Boomers to the WNBL Grand Final Series.
VETERAN STATUS
This year’s squad brings in a talented veteran staff led by three time all-star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who led the team in both scoring and minutes, with an average of 15.4 points and 34.2 minutes per game… Returning alongside Diggins-Smith is 8-year veteran and co-captain Karima Christmas-Kelly, who started all 34 games a season ago and recorded a career-high 27 points on May 25 against San Antonio… Forward Glory Johnson returns for her sixth season, after finishing fifth in the WNBA in rebounds and posting 13 double-doubles a season ago… Another returning veteran for the Wings is forward Theresa Plaisance, who played in all 34 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, while earning 25 starts in 2017. Plaisance is recovering from an ACL injury she suffered in October while playing in the Polish Basketball League.
OTHER KEY RETURNEES
With other key players returning to the squad, including five second-year players, the team returns more than just veteran talent… Rising star Allisha Gray is back for her sophomore season, after starting all 34 games, averaging 13.0 points and taking home the 2017 Rookie of the Year… Guard Kaela Davis returns after averaging 6.1 points per game and joining Allisha Gray on the 2017 All-Rookie Team… Guard Saniya Chong played in 33 of 34 games her rookie season, averaging 2.7 points… Center Breanna Lewis saw action in 13 games as a rookie, notching a career-high in points on 5/27 in Phoenix with three… Also returning is Forward Kayla Thornton who made tremendous progress since signing with the Wings before the 2017 season in which she averaged 6.8 points and played in all 34 games… Returning for her third season is guard Aerial Powers, who sat out most of the 2017 season with a hip injury but averaged 10.8 points in the 12 games she played in.
2017 REWIND
The 2017 season was a step in the right direction for the Dallas Wings. In their second year in their new home, they made a five-game improvement over the previous season, qualified for the playoffs, saw their franchise point guard get back to All-WNBA First Team form, had one of their five rookies win WNBA Rookie of the Year and gained valuable experience as the league’s youngest team.
Offensively, the Wings soared high in the league completing the 2017 regular season as the best team in offensive boards averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. They also ranked as the second best in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 86.3 points per game. Leading the Wings in points was three-time all-star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith with an average of 18.5 points per game. In offensive boards, Glory Johnson owned the show recording 77 total boards for an average of 2.3 rebounds per game.